compt
Neat; spruce.
Adjective
- Neat; spruce.
- who is not much more carefull of the grace of his head, than of his health? who maketh not more account to be compt, than to be honest? - 1600, George Abbot, An exposition upon the prophet Jonah, page 592:
- A compt, accomplished prince. - 1623, John Vicars, Æneid:
- And my wife will be jocund, feat, compt, neat, quaint, dainty, trim, tricked up, brisk, smirk, and smug, […] - 1904, Thomas Urguhart, transl., Master Francis Rabelais: Five Books Of The Lives, Heroic Deeds And Sayings...
Origin
From Latin comptus, past participle of comere (“to care for, comb, arrange, adorn”).
Forms
Derived
Noun abbreviation, alt of
- Abbreviation of comptroller.
Related: compt.
- Abbreviation of compliment.
Origin
Abbreviations.
Forms
Noun obsolete
- Account; reckoning; computation.
- Your servants ever have theirs,/Themselves and what is theirs, in compt, /To make their audit at your highness' pleasure, /Still to return your own. - c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of...
- it would be difficult for a youth of his age to follow the expositions of a practical lawyer, concerning actions of compt and reckoning, and of multiple-poindings, and adjudication and wadsets, proper and improper, and...
Origin
Variant of count.
Derived
Verb
- To compute; to count or consider.
- For some were warded in the Pittie-vault, some set caution to remove from the town, after they had compted and reckoned for their tavernry with their mistresses; […] - 1792, John Spalding, The History of the Troubles...
- So shall my ryghteousnes aunswere for me in time to come: for it shal come for my rewarde before thy face. And euery one that is not specked and partie amongst the goates, & blacke amongst the sheepe, let it be compted...
- The gyftes of fortune compt the, as borowed ware Who so delyteth to prouen and assaye - a. 1535, Thomas More, Lady Fortune: